A simpler way to use Facebook Messenger

Messenger 4 is all about simpler and easier-to-use messaging. Focusing on simplicity, we are bringing a easy to use interface with new fun features like color gradient background to personalize your conversations even more.

@jmd Seriously hate how people were forced to download this app instead of just enhancing the functionality of the Facebook app's messaging system. Absolutely ridiculous splintering of a product for no reason.

Nice to see Facebook do a refresh of Messenger. It's common for apps like this to build feature and UX debt. That said, I ultimately use chat apps my friends are on and as much as I love business fish, new features and cleaner UX won't change my adoption (although it might get me to come back to the app more often each day in ways I don't even recognize).
I'm curious to hear peoples' thoughts on Messenger in general. Do you use it? Most people use multiple apps to communicate with different groups of people. What's your favorite messaging app today?

@rrhoover Super excited to try the new version!
I use it a lot on an everyday basis. In college we use all day (No Islands in France 😬@gregisenberg when are you coming? 😉)
I don't receive a lot of SMS (sometimes 0 to 3), but can receive sometimes like 250+ notifications in Messenger since I am in several group chats. We have a group for everything, classes, friend groups, best friends, clubs, birthday parties, events, school projects,...
But I also use other messaging apps like Snapchat, iMessage, Twitter DMs. I can be sometimes chatting with the same person on Snap and Messenger ^^

@rrhoover I used to use it, but it's such a resource heavy app that I switched to the lite version, which I like much better. But only have the 1 friend who uses it :P
At the moment my most used/fav app would probably be Discord, one, because most of my friends are there, and two, it's most like how the old Skype app used to feel. (and you can edit your messages when you make types, which I think most other chat apps should have)

Hmm.
From Skype's post Simplicity and familiarity—updates to the Skype user experience from August 31, 2018:
"As Skype functionality has expanded, so too has its complexity. As with any feature rich product, maintaining simplicity while enhancing functionality is critical to usability. This past year we explored some design changes and heard from customers that we overcomplicated some of our core scenarios. Calling became harder to execute and Highlights didn’t resonate with a majority of users. We needed to take a step back and simplify!
"Today, I want to share our focus on simplicity* to provide an overall better experience for you by making Skype faster to learn and easier to use.
"Simplified navigation—We are refocusing on the fundamentals of why most people use Skype—to make a call (often with video) and/or send a message.
"Our new navigation model removes redundant and underused features that create clutter—making it much easier to find the people you want to talk to and contact them in an instant. On mobile we are moving to three buttons at the bottom of the app—Chats, Calls, and Contacts..."
...
From Messenger's announcement:
"In a recent Messenger study, 7 out of 10 (71%) people told us simplicity is the top priority for them in a messaging app. Among people surveyed who are messaging more frequently, 62% say messaging makes them feel closer to their friends (2). We believe Messenger 4 delivers the closeness and authenticity that you’ve been asking for — through simplicity of design and powerful features that put the focus back on messaging and connecting.
"Simple: Easier to Navigate
"To make it easier to find the features you care about, the new Messenger will have three tabs instead of nine."

@chrismessina May 1, 2018: https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/...
“When you’re messaging, you really want a simple and fast experience,” Mark Zuckerberg said during the company’s F8 keynote. “We’re taking this moment to completely redesign Messenger to focus on these ideas.” Zuckerberg again reiterated the “clean” and “fast” nature of the revamped Messenger app before moving on in the keynote.
After 7+ months of rigorous product development, usability testing, and experimentation, re-designing an app for 1.3+bn people, it turns out that messaging apps are more similar than they are different.